The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the political climate in Cameroon as the country prepares for its presidential election on October 12. At the centre of the controversy is President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest sitting head of state at 92, who is seeking a new seven-year term to extend his rule beyond four decades in power.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warned that mounting restrictions on civic freedoms raise doubts about whether Cameroonians will be able to freely exercise their democratic rights. “A safe and enabling human rights environment is essential for peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections. It regrettably appears that this is not the case in Cameroon,” Turk said, urging the government to guarantee conditions for a fair contest.
Concerns have escalated following the arrest of at least 53 opposition supporters last month by security forces, who accused them of public disorder, unlawful assembly, rebellion, and incitement to revolt. Although all detainees have since been released, the UN stressed that such arrests should never have occurred, insisting that no citizen should be punished for exercising their rights to free expression, association, or peaceful protest.
Cameroon’s fractured opposition, already struggling to mount a united challenge against Biya, faces additional pressure amid allegations of political repression and restrictions on dissent. Rights groups have repeatedly accused the long-serving leader of stifling rivals, limiting civic space, and consolidating his hold on power through state institutions and security agencies.
As the election approaches, the UN has called on the Cameroonian authorities to act swiftly to restore public confidence in the electoral process. Failure to do so, it warned, could undermine both the credibility of the vote and the stability of a nation that has endured years of political tension and armed conflict in its anglophone regions.
